Outback Bowl (Tampa, Florida) Iowa (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (8-4)
How They Got Here: Iowa
The Hawkeyes had a typical Kirk Ferentz season. Run the ball. Punt a lot. Beat Iowa State. This was all business as usual. QB Nathan Stanley continued to develop, and put up solid numbers. Despite the worry of inexperience at LB, the defense was still good, a model of consistency. The Hawkeyes probably should have won their division, but that is an argument for another time.
The main concern going into the bowl game is the lack of star tight end Noah Fant. Fant and Tj Hockenson combined to really make the Iowa offense move. Without Fant, the offense will be forced to find an new pass catcher. Against an amazing MSU defense, this could prove to be an issue.
How They Got Here: Mississippi State
Suffice to say, the first year under HC Joe Moorhead was disappointing for many Bulldog fans. The Moorhead offense did not translate exactly how many thought it would, which led to many struggles on offense. The main issue was the lack of development of QB Nick Fitzgerald. That being said, by the end of the season Fitzgerald looked to have improved and taken a small step forward.
Now, the the fun part of this team is the defense. Led by Jeffrey Simmons, Montez Sweat, and Jonathan Abram, the MSU defense wreaked havoc. By the end of the year, the Bulldog defense was the #1 scoring defense in the nation. With no players on the team sitting out, expect the bulldogs to come for blood.
Player to Watch: Nick Fitzgerald and Me.
Nick Fitzgerald is the ostensibly second best QB in MSU history. For as criticized as the guy has been, he deserves one more moment in the sun. We all know he can score with his legs, but watch out for his arm. If Moorhead decides on a screw it gameplan, Fitz could put up some yards.
As for me, I am attending this game. Why should I be one to watch? Not because of this game. The real reason will be my anxiety over my bets in the UCF-LSU and UK-PSU games. So if you see a very distressed college kid in a Maroon SAE polo, that would be me.
Gambling Stats
MSU is a solid 8-4 against the spread, while Iowa sits at 7-5. The over/under is 40, so take the under. Elsewhere, MSU is favored by -7, which seems like a pretty safe bet.
Prediction
Well, if anyone keeps up with my writing, they would know I try to stay unbiased. However, the amount of Iowa writers we have, and the Iowa fans threatening me have pushed me here. MSU is going to beat Iowa in a way only the SEC knows how. Get ready Hawkeyes, Dawgs are coming, and we are burning your crops down. 24-7.